'We now understand very clearly the harm that is caused': Call to decriminalise drug users

'The absurdity of the policy of criminalising people who use drugs is highlighted by the fact that nearly 70% of convictions for drug offences in Ireland are for possession of drugs for personal use.'  Picture: Getty

A call to decriminalise people who use drugs has been made by a national network working to combat the country’s drug problem.

CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign made the recommendation in its submission to the ongoing Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use.

The organisation also called for the re-establishment of an independent Combat Poverty Agency — with real teeth and resources — to tackle the well-established links between poverty and drug harm.

CityWide’s Joan Byrne said as long as society criminalises people who use drugs, we are causing them additional harm and reducing the effectiveness of any initiatives or services put in place.

“We now understand very clearly the harm that is caused by a policy that criminalises people. For example, in the absence of adequate mental health supports and services in our communities, drug use is often a way of self-medicating to cope with mental health issues and with the impact of trauma. 

"How can we still think in this day and age that it is acceptable to make criminals of people in these situations?

“The absurdity of the policy of criminalising people who use drugs is highlighted by the fact that nearly 70% of convictions for drug offences in Ireland are for possession of drugs for personal use. 

"Between 1996 and 2020 there have been more than a quarter of a million [257,765] recorded crimes for possession of drugs for personal use. 

"The policy of criminalisation of people who use drugs also imposes a significant cost on the State through policing, legal aid, probation, DPP and court resources that could be better invested in health and social services,” Ms Byrne said.

Significant negative impacts

Criminalisation also has significant negative impacts on individuals, Ms Byrne said.

Drug convictions have a potential negative impact for a person’s whole life and across many aspects of their lives, including employment, accessing training or education, being able to travel, securing housing.

While the relationship between poverty and drug-related harms is well-established, it is not enough just to simply recognise this — Ireland needs to take action on it, with a national anti-poverty campaign – headed up by a well-resourced Combat Poverty Agency with teeth — that engages communities and underpins our approach to drugs, Ms Byrne said.

“As the Health Research Board’s [HRB] National Drug and Alcohol Survey 2019-2020 pointed out, there is little difference in the levels of drug use between areas that are most and least deprived, however, the communities with high levels of deprivation are disproportionately impacted by the negative effects of drug use in their local areas.

“Yet despite the HRB’s evidence — and much more besides — our approach to drugs in recent years has lost the focus on addressing the underlying issues of poverty and marginalisation. 

"As a result of this policy shift, the communities most affected are under even greater pressure and facing even greater drug-related harms.

We’ve done enough talking about the link between poverty and drugs, and we now need to take practical actions to address it."

Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign is a national network of community organisations that are involved in addressing the drugs issue and it represents the community sector on the National Oversight Committee of the National Drugs Strategy.

A Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use has been established to consider the legislative, policy and operational changes Ireland could make to significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on individuals, families, communities and wider Irish society.

It is scheduled to run until October and a final report containing its recommendations to Government is expected in December.